Relative of Black Lives Matter co-founder dies after being repeatedly Tased by police | United States | News

A relative of a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement has died of cardiac arrest after being repeatedly shocked by police. Officers said they were responding to a traffic accident when they saw Keenan Anderson, 31, “running in the middle of the street and acting erratically”. Footage from mounted body cameras shows a distressed Mr Anderson initially complying with police while an officer appears to attempt to calm him down and asks him to sit down several times.

Later, Mr Anderson, an English teacher, fled on foot into traffic where a policeman on a motorbike caught him and ordered him to the ground.

Back-up officers arrived and struggled to restrain Mr Anderson, at least one officer ordered him to lie on his stomach.

In the video, an officer repeatedly tells Mr Anderson: ‘Stop or I’ll taser you.’

Mr. Anderson, during the encounter, shouts: “They are trying to kill me!” and “Please don’t do that.”

At one point, the father-of-one said officers were trying to “George Floyd”.

An officer eventually says, “Okay, I’ll taser him,” before tasering him.

He was then handcuffed and restrained. Mr Anderson was picked up by fire personnel before being taken to hospital.

About four and a half hours after officers first tried to restrain him, he went into cardiac arrest in hospital and died on January 3.

A preliminary toxicology report showed Mr Anderson had tested positive for cocaine and cannabis, police said. The Los Angeles coroner was to conduct his own toxicology tests.

His cousin, Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement said on instagram that his cousin was “killed by the LAPD”.

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She said: “Keenan deserves to be alive right now, his child deserves to be raised by his father. Keenan, we will fight for you and all of our loved ones affected by state violence.”

There was a protest outside LAPD headquarters following the incident.

Police Chief Michel Moore said the release of the body camera footage showed “the LAPD’s commitment to full transparency” and asked for the “public’s patience” during the investigation into the incident. ‘incident.

He added that it was ‘unclear what role’ the officers played in Mr Anderson’s death. They were not named by the LAPD.

Mr Anderson’s death makes a total of three people who have died in interactions with the LAPD this year, which Chief Moore said he was “deeply concerned about”.

Takar Smith, 45, and Oscar Sanchez, 35, have both been shot and killed in incidents involving the LAPD since Jan. 1.

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Takar Smith’s death has been ruled a homicide by shooting, which is standard procedure after fatal police shootings

He was shot and killed after raising a butcher knife 10 inches above his head after officers used a stun gun and pepper spray. The LAPD said Officer Joseph Zizzo and Officer Nicolas Alejandre opened fire.

His wife told the 911 operator he had schizophrenia and was not taking his medication, however, officers did not call a specialized mental health team. The incident prompted Chief Moore to call for additional training for officers.

Oscar Sanchez’s death was still under investigation by the Los Angeles County coroner, but he allegedly wielded a ‘makeshift spear’ at police and after a confrontation he was shot multiple times by officers who arrested him.